- 1). Sit as straight as possible in a quiet room. You may lie down if your physical condition prevents sitting straight for several minutes. Eliminate distractions by turning off or disconnecting phones, closing windows and blinds and telling others not to disturb you. The room should be as quiet as possible.
- 2). Turn on the recorded meditation program or relaxing music. If you are new to meditation, a recorded program may be helpful for achieving an altered state of consciousness. These may be found on CD or MP3 formats from many retailers. If you are familiar with meditation, you may choose to listen to relaxing music, particularly if you need to block out background noises.
- 3). Listen carefully to the program and open your mind. Picture the images that are described to you. Try to focus all of your thoughts and energy on the words and music that you hear. Quieting the mind is difficult for beginners, so when other thoughts enter your mind, push them away and refocus on the program.
- 4). Enter an altered state of consciousness. As previously noted, lack of recall may occur during this state. Thus, you may not remember exactly what you were thinking during this time. However, you will likely realize that time has passed, allowing you to recognize that you were engaged in this altered state.
- 5). Keep trying. Some people may be unable to reach an altered state of consciousness initially. Further attempts may be necessary to be successful. In addition, your emotional state at the time may affect your ability to reach an altered state. Stress, physical illness or pain or significant anxiety may affect your ability to clear your mind. Try deep breathing exercises prior to beginning your program to improve success, or wait until you are feeling better. Also avoid trying too hard, which can impede your efforts.
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